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Myself, I been waiting this long and patience is a virtue and that rings so true. I can't wait but I can wait if that makes sense to you. I know our staff is excited for the reelase of Guild Wars 2 and the wait will be well worth it.

The hype is strong with this one. Thankfully, I've been pacing myself nicely for the past 5 years so that I still have some energy to dodge all the negative comments and backlash Guild Wars 2 has come under in the last few months. However, that doesn't hold true to all gamers. For some reason, I am compelled to write about it. I am compelled to write in hopes that I could convince some people that the Guild Wars 2 beta is not worth hurting yourself over.

In the latest Guild Wars 2 news, ArenaNet has invited a number of press members to their closed beta. This is wonderful news! To consumers, it is also extremely vague which is all the more reason to just be patient. I am positive that everyone wants to be a part of the closed beta and help test while giving feedback (for SCIENCE, of course!). At the same time I have no doubt that there is not a single person outside of ArenaNet who, in the back of their mind, just cannot wait to get their hands on the game for the sake of being entertained and exploring the world ArenaNet has created. This includes members of the press and we have to appreciate that. Although this month's beta phase is limited to mostly press members, this is the sign of ArenaNet opening up to the public after only testing internally for quite a long time.

Some players have asked the question, "why invite the press when clearly I'm an expert at Guild Wars?" That is probably the biggest reason they don't need these players to test! ArenaNet is going where other developers haven't dared take their testing phases. They want to introduce the best MMORPG that is a product and evolution of multiple ideas from several games to make the most immersive title ever. They also want to introduce the game to people who have never played a game before and do their best to keep these people. It can be a tough balance between the old and new, but to give players what ArenaNet wants to deliver, they need unbiased feedback from more than just fans.

Members of the press sometimes have to play games they're not initially interested in while established fans can be biased with their opinions. That makes them a good crowd to introduce an evolved game to that requires learning new mechanics as well. Guild Wars 2 just happens to be the best thing since sliced bread. Ignoring that fact though, the press are often required to play games to an extent where they can legitimately write a detailed review and earn their pay. With that said, these people have more reason to uphold the NDA presented to them. A NDA (non-disclosure agreement) is serious business which both parties (ArenaNet and members of the press, each with their own position) have invested too much time to risk tarnishing their reputation. By no means will ArenaNet show off the entire game to the press simply for review. What the press really needs to see is how well ArenaNet is can carry an unreleased product. While people have passed Guild Wars 2 as vapourware or as an over-hyped title, press coverage will repair this small wound, contributing to the now exponentially growing interest.

Naturally, ArenaNet wants good press for their game. No one is trying to hide that fact. However, ArenaNet is doing their testing differently than conventional modern MMOs. We will get our turn, eventually, and so will all the other potential players who came across a "first impression" post on a media website. Surely we want to see our most anticipated game make history and break sales records! Reaching to the press also suggests that ArenaNet is confident enough with their product to show it to the mass media before it's released. The developers behind Guild Wars 2 have been doing this all along and I'm sure that February is going to be one huge press-push before launch later in the year. A less confident developer would not allow for as many press members to review their game before it goes on sale.

What is an invite to closed beta anyway? We often think of this term as a product that still has bugs to be worked out. This term is loosely defined by ArenaNet though. ArenaNet wouldn't invite press to review a bug infested game. When we do get to play, finding a bug later than sooner would probably be more self rewarding than catching the early obvious ones. If anxious gamers were expecting anything more than "self-rewarding" then they're fighting too hard for the wrong reason to get into the beta, in my opinion.

One could argue that the press is not going to test the game as much as other gamers, yet, as a consumer, it's not our second job either. I don't know anyone else who would quit their job just to work full-time on a fansite for a game. Who is that crazy? While I am indeed crazy, there were more pressing factors that lead me to where I stand now with Guild Wars 2 Live, and I did it to prove to myself that I can do something amazing! I don't need a beta invite as proof that I've been successful on this tangent of my life. Of course, in the back of my mind and deep down in my soul, I admit it would be nice. If being a successful, die-hard fan meant getting into a closed beta at the end, then being such a fan is a pretty risky business! I don't believe the turnover is that significant in the long run anyway.

I can tell others who won't be getting an invitation to test, the folks who have jumped the gun. To the left are people who have broadcasted misleading information in order to gain attention while on the right are people who believe everything posted by every major and minor news source. Get the facts right, fellow gamers! Read it from the ArenaNet blog and only out of mouths of ArenaNet staff! Take the information that has been given by the developers and we will realize that ArenaNet has never lied about Guild Wars 2 or its development. It doesn't matter if someone gets their hands on the game sooner than later, there will always be another person ahead of them. This begs the question, "Why all the hate?" We should spend that energy to properly inform others who might have missed a blog post or a tweet from ArenaNet. And maybe, just knowing that we're doing the right thing by respecting ArenaNet's time and effort can be enough.

Up to this point, ArenaNet has been very supportive of all the fansites who have poured their hearts into Guild Wars 2 alongside the developers. I did it not for Guild Wars 2 or ArenaNet, but for me to grow and learn. It all starts with a simple idea of having fun and then the idea grows into creating something new and unique. I have been doing that with GuildWars2Live and have learned a lot on the way. ArenaNet has rewarded me with their kindness and support by allowing me to continue my fansite and acknowledging me, but even more rewarding is my own work. It has kept me so busy that I could care less of when Guild Wars 2 is going to release. The release date can take its sweet time and be announced "when it's ready."

The whole point one should take away from this rant is, "be patient." There's many things we could be doing other than waiting for the game, or fighting to contribute to the game via a beta invite. Consider starting a blog, a fansite, or join new fansites and encourage others to share their excitement without hinder. There are potentially hundreds of thousands who are about to flock over to Guild Wars 2. We don't need a beta invite to show new folks what a great community Guild Wars has. We know that Guild Wars 2 is going to change gamers, so why not prepare ourselves?

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Written by @peter_chan
Much thanks to editors including @theLazyGeek, Bakamono and @MalchiorDeven.
Note: ArenaNet does not necessarily condone the things I've said here, though as fans we have this privilege to talk this way.

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